


City of Light; Shoppers of Darkness

by NestPlaster



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Bedrooms, Curtain Fic, Curtains, Implied Pillaging, M/M, Shopping, Teasing Arguments About Decore, Terrorizing The Innocent, chandeliers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-29
Updated: 2017-11-29
Packaged: 2019-02-08 07:05:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12859341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NestPlaster/pseuds/NestPlaster
Summary: Treachery is afoot and the destruction of Insomnia is near at hand. But before the city can be crushed and conquered, some preparations must be made.





	City of Light; Shoppers of Darkness

"What about this one?"

Ardyn Izunia looked up from the gold plated headboard he had been idly contemplating, although it was a little much even for his tastes, and across the showroom to his companion. They stood beside a bed which dominated an entire area of the store, overshadowing other nearby furniture. Ardyn walked over with effortless elegance, his feet dancing across pristine carpet colored a neutral beige so as not to detract from the merchandise on display.

The bed was almost comical, although the worksmanship was clearly of the best quality. From a high bedtop, cascades of ruffled chiffon flowed to a point moments above the floor, creating an illusion of foaming water. A light blue bedspread interplayed with narrow posts which soared upwards before spreading into a domed canopy, seemingly too delicate to support even the light sheer veil pulled back towards the head. Elaborate ribbons of silver wire danced upwards along each pole, evoking drops thrown by an object plunging into still water. The canopy itself was a masterpiece of wires and ribbons, suggesting a night sky full of stars.

General Glauca stood before it, one armored gauntlet hovering with outstretched fingers a breath away from the canopy, as if afraid to touch it. Ardyn could recognize the hopeful tilt of his armored head, even with the features otherwise hidden away behind rivers of steel.

"It is beautiful" Ardyn said as he drew near, and he did reach out tender fingers to graze against the frail steel of the frame. Just as tenderly the fabric of his left sleeve wavered in the air, brushing lightly against the thin fabric of the veil. "Beautiful... yet perhaps not exactly what we are looking for." Gently but pointedly he grasped one of the posts and shook it back and forth. The bed rocked gently, and the canopy swayed in the air. With one slightly rougher shove Ardyn had them both step back in apprehension as the bed quivered, before settling back to a resting state. "Not exactly right if you insist on leaving the armor on, at any rate."

Glauca looked down, and a low sigh rumbled deep within the breastplate of his armor. "You are right, again" he said, "for now. The armor must stay on"

Ardyn joined in and said the rest of the sentance with him: "until the moment is right."  


* * *

  
Glauca was sulking a touch after they had settled on a more reasonable (although still extremely fashionable) bedframe, and Ardyn was doing his best to ignore them as they walked slowly through the lighting section. Ardyn felt he was doing fairly well at this, but knew he had reached a limit when he heard a deep voice inches from his shoulder go "hmmm."

Ardyn carefully put down the lamp he had been considering, a wrought iron number that would compliment the bed they had agreed on while still possessing enough flow and negative space to seem to leap up from the table as if catching the glowing ball of light it held. His fingers lingered briefly and then released as he turned to face Glauca and see what he had to say.

"I've heard" Glauca began deliberately, as he did when building to a point. "I heard that they have grand chandeliers in the Citadel. In every room, in the stairwells and halls. Great soaring, ethereal, singing constructs of crystal and light. I heard visitors have been known to cry at the sight of the one in the main entrance hall."

Ardyn held for a moment, letting his partner finish.

"Chandeliers" Glauca repeated, "in every bedroom."

"Fair enough" admitted Ardyn, "and I can think of no better source of light for you. I yearn for the day I can see the light of that city cascade across your armor, glinting off every curve and crease. A thousand points of light from a thousand shards of crystal seems like a thousand too few for your glory."

He looked sideways at Glauca, the thousand lights of this department dancing across his eye as it creased slightly in a gentle smile.

"But it may be a thousand too many for those small hours, when I like to stay up and read, and you like to"

Glauca interrupted, adopting a defensive stance in retreat. "I need rest for battle! Combat is tiring work."

"You do" agreed Ardyn gently, resting a hand against the steel bands encasing Glaucas powerful bicep. "And this has me wondering... would a lamp with a shade be better suited for my side of the bed?"  


* * *

  
"Black can compliment iron and steel" Ardyn admitted carefully, all the while thinking to himself: _As can just about any color with a little care_

The curtains themselves were as impressive as his companion, a heavy double layered fabric of the blackest velvet. The sheen of the fabric seemed to reflect the red lace and embroidery along the edges. The scalloped lace and tight red roses were pretty close up, yet carefully chosen contours somehow evoked more destructure forces when viewed from afar.

"But" he continued, allowing the word to hang with a careful pause. "I worry it might make the room a little... closed and oppressive. And the red trim, I think we may get quite enough fire and blood in the seige..."

"They will look up from the streets" replied Glauca, head tilted upwards with what Ardyn assumed was a faraway look. "They will see the red and black, and they will know they look towards their lords, towards their conquerers. Their own Citadel will be a reminder of their submission, and our curtains will re-infor--"

"Sirs" interjected a chipper if clueless salesman who had crept up behind them, "might I offer any assistance? Perhaps with sizing?"

Glauca spun effortlessly on a heel, a mountain of steel pivoting as smoothly and weightlessly as a fall leaf tumbling towards earth. "Do you suggest" he said, his voice as hard as his armor, "that General Glauca requires assistance with... drapery?"

The salesman went pale, and Andry felt an excited chill run down his spine. He loved seeing his man like this, to be reminded that this power and menace could radiate from through the heavy steel plates of that armor in a moment, like blood seeping through linen over a wound.

"Do you believe General Glauca incapable of measuring his own drop?"

The salesman backed away slowly, throat visible working in an effort to apologise, although no words came out. Andry rested one hand against the small of Glaucas back, while allowing the lengthy sleeve of the other to lay inconspicuously across the suddenly tight fabric of his own trousers.

"Dearest General" he said, as if nothing had just happened. "What about something in a light metallic grey, with highlights of a pale blue? Look at the piping on this set over here; see how the texture of the weave shimmers in the light. Imagine your chandelier!"


End file.
